Kitfo

Kitfo (Amharic: ክትፎ, IPA: [kɨtfo]) is an Ethiopian traditional dish that originated among the Gurage people. It consists of minced raw beef, marinated in mitmita (a chili-based spice powder) and niter kibbeh (a clarified butter infused with herbs and spices). The word comes from the Ethio-Semitic triconsonantal root k-t-f, meaning "to chop finely; mince".

Kitfo cooked lightly rare is known as kitfo leb leb. Kitfo is often served alongside — or sometimes mixed with — a mild cheese called ayibe or cooked greens known as gomen. In many parts of Ethiopia, kitfo is served with injera, a spongy, absorbent sourdough crêpe-like flatbread made from fermented teff flour; traditional Gurage cuisine replaces this with kocho, a thick flatbread made of the ensete plant. An ensete leaf may be also used as a garnish.

Though not considered a delicacy, kitfo is generally held in high regard. It is served on special occasions such as holidays like Meskel on 27 September, the feast celebrating the Finding of the True Cross.

See also

• Gored gored
• Steak tartare
• Kibbeh nayyeh
• Raw foodism
• Injera
• List of African dishes
• List of Ethiopian dishes and foods

External links

• Kitfo recipe